Mutharika makes crass sexual remarks against Joyce Banda: Malawi women movement demand apology
President Peter Mutharika sparked outrage for attacking his predecessor Joyce Banda using lewd and demeaning language during his whistle-stop tour in Thyolo on Monday.
Mutharika attacked Banda, accusing her of lying to Malawians in order to dent the image of the Mutharikas and called his predecessor ‘hule’, which literally means a prostitute and madeya (husks).
He made the remarks when he made a stop in Goliati, Thyolo dismissing remarks that Banda made at a televised political rally that Mutharika was binge alcohol drinker, saying he embarrassed her during trip in China when Malawi government was switching diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing during late Bingu wa Mutharika’s reign.
Mutharika dismissed that claims, saying Joyce Banda wanted a hotel room next to Bingu and he refused, saying she is a “hule” [bitch].
“I told her Bingu was going for good taste and that he couldn’t have husks,” he said.
The President also accused Banda for selling of the Presidential Jet during her reign.
The jet, which was bought during late Bingu wa Mutharika’s reign, was sold during Banda’s tenure and it is not clear how the proceeds were used.
He called Banda a “thief”, saying she got herself in wrongful enrichment with the proceeds of the jet sale.
“I want to warn her otherwise I will go after you, better stop it,” said a visibly irked Mutharika.
Before Mutharika spokes, Minister of Gender Mary Navicha was the first to launch at attacked on Joyce Banda, calling her “Miss Cashgate.”
Meanwhile, Women’s Manifesto Movement – women’s rights movement in Malawi – has demanded an immediate apology from Mutharika for using derogatory remarks against Banda.
Ironically, the President is a Global HeForShe Champion whose role demands that he should defend and protect the dignity and rights of women and girls.
Consequently, the development has shocked Women Movement which is grouping of like-minded institutions and organizations that came together to lead Malawian women in developing a women’s manifesto.
The movement advocates for the protection and fulfilment of women’s rights in Malawi.
In a statement made available to Nyasa Times on Monday evening and signed by Maggie Kathewera Banda and Barbara Banda, the movement says it is shocked by the derogatory remarks Mutharika made against Banda during a whistle-stop tour.
“It is very disappointing to hear these insulting remarks from a Global HeForShe Champion who is expected to champion rights of women and girls. WOMAN regards this as serious act of violence against women perpetrated by the very same leader who is supposed to defend and protect the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi,” say Kathewera Banda and Barbara Banda in the statement.
The statement further says the remarks Mutharika made against his predecessor ‘are very demeaning to all women and girls, including those we were cheering him on’.
Kathewera Banda and Barbara Banda says in view of the above, the movement is demanding that Mutharika should categorically apologize to the former President and Malawians in both private and public media.
“[Further], we are demanding that the State President should adhere to the promise of conducting violence-free, issue-based campaign that he signed for during the 2019 election period. All political party leaders to be exemplary by desisting from engaging in physical and verbal violence and stick to issue-based campaigning,” they urge.
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) acting executive director, Sylvester Namiwa, said it is shameful for the State President, who happens to be the #HeForShe Champion, to insult the former President by calling her as ‘hule’.
Namiwa, writing on his institution’s Facebook wall, said Mutharika has dragged the Office of the President into a total disrepute.
“Mutharika should remember that his cabinet minister, Ben Phiri, was forced to apologise when he carelessly uttered similar scathing remarks in Balaka during the campaign ahead of the 2019 tripartite elections,” he reminds.
However, the two organizations have not disclosed the next step they would take should Mutharika refuse to apologize.
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If the president doesn’t speak, mukumunena, if he retaliates, mukumunenanso. Anthu opanda pabwino inu.
The sad thing is, the Alliance has people in there who are aspiring to very high positions and they genuinely drink too much! that is a great concern. I do wish Malawian politics was not so savage and futile! Pepani Bwana mzimayi wopanda mwambo uyu! akufuna kuku sukulutsani! osamutsatira ai. Choona chimadziwika pa mathero. Mpomveka kuti munyenera unenapo kanthu koma anthu onse akumudziwa mai ameneyu tsono musiyeni tione uko zithere koma asakutaitseni nthawi. Pitirizani kampeni imene mukuchits chifukwa ndiye mene zimayenera kukhalila. Mbuzi ndi mbuzi ukazilondola kuti mumvane ndiye kuti nawenso udzifikitse pa umbuzi! You are so much better than… Read more »
The problem of us as Malawian in general we are too fast to complain, blame and too fast to cause the problem without knowing consequences and once the problem faces you and you can’t handle by yourself and you are too fast to drag someone else but you are forgetting that you are the one who create that mess, and rmber same pain woman gonna feel if u do hurt her obviously same feel the man Guys let’s be honest here to find solution for every problem we need to check find root cause of that problem and every mess… Read more »
Tiyeni tisaziyalutse. Mkazi wokongola, onyansa onse all ndi vagina. Mwamuna aliyense Ali ndi penis. So who cares whether they fuck or not
The is nothing wrong with Mutharika. May problem is the source or the root cause. Joyce Banda is the root cause. She openly disgraced Mutharika in public. What was she trying to achieve when he called him drunkard? She was trying to tell the nation who Peter is. Now Peter is also reciprocating telling the same nation who Joyce Banda is. Should we also ask women to apologise to men for calling them drunkards? The message was for Joyce , the same way the message from Joyce to Peter. It does not affect anyone at all except the two.
Being a Lhomwe does not mean you can be hand clapping anything because he is your fella.Lets not tolerate stupid things from the President unless if you are telling me that you are fool also like APM.
Olo pamowa hule akayambana ndi chiledzelele pamakhala nkangano oopysa zedi..aliyense amadziwa za mzake
What happens in Rome remains in Rome. not We Malawians are interested to know how you guys enjoyed in China spending our taxi money. We need change, developments full stop!!!!!!
kodi ku China kul8be oimilila Malawi kapena aliyese amakalandila ekha nevilopu yake????
Madeya basi… kaya ndi a mpunga kaya a chimanga madeya basi. heehehehhehehehe mg1 vs mg2 ku alliance ukuuu
Nkhonya yobwezera kuwawa. APM has responded to Joyce Banda’s rude remarks. Anthuwa amadziwana. Ife tizingoonera – asiyeni akutumulane. Akatopa asiya.
Thats why supreme court declared no presidency.Such vugar words from so called 30 days to go president nonses and you have no respect from me and you have missed women votes.Chakwera is much better and is indeed sixth Malawi president not you just go and rest madala you have no value to the nation.What example are you setting to the youngones.Thats why you mobilized innocent poor uneducated youth in your limwe belt to stone their future Chilima for no reason yet the same chilima under the wise and dynamic leadership of Chakwera will reduce fertilizer from your hyked wicked price… Read more »
It takes two to tangle. Address others in the-same way you want to be addressed . If Peter is a drunkard, it has nothing to do with Joyce Banda. Mutharika is also saying who Joyce Banda is in actual life. So no problem here, cause Joyce should have censored her mouth before vomiting the words in public. What was her intention, and what was she trying to achieve. If she has disciples herself , everything will be fine. Stop backing silly things. Learn to analyse the root cause before you treat.